Forest Stray
by The XY sisters
Summary: Sakura had always wondered what laid in that forest just behind her house ever since she moved in. But strangely enough there has been a mysterious black cat sitting in front of it as if it were beckoning her to follow it. AU. SasuSaku.
1. Prologue

Prologue

_"Konoha? Now why would you want to move there?" a blonde woman who was in her mid-forties asked her packing daughter._

_"...well... in order to pursue my career as a doctor, Konoha is one of the best places for that right? the pinkette said as she ceased what she was doing to look at her mother._

_"...ah...yes... I remembered we talked about this..." the pinkette's mother exclaimed recalling the memory. "When does the moving truck come?"_

_"In three days." the pinkette said, not taking her eyes of her mother. Something was a bit off. Her mother looked worried. She was sure her mother looked worried when they were discussing about this not to long ago too. was it not safe there? But she was sure Konoha was a safe place, it was even safer than where she currently lived. Strange. she was also certain that she had assured her parents about visiting regularly. May be it was the fact that they're daughter who hasn't even reached the age of 16 is off to live on her own. Then again, if she doesn't move to Konoha now she won't make it to the entrance exam in her new school. And they even went through the trouble of signing her up. So why the worried look?_

_"Mebuki dear, Sakura, I'm home!" a voice interrupted her train of though. Her father must be home._

_"Coming dear!" Mebuki, her mother shouted in reply. "Come Sakura, dinner's almost about done, help set the table please."_

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><p><em>"So you movin' out in three days ey kiddo?" Kizashi, her father stated, eyeing his daughter. He got a nod in response to the question. Chuckling a little he said "Time sure flies huh? I still remember the times when you were still in your diaper -"<em>

_"Dad!" Sakura cut him off, her cheeks rosy red as she playfully glared at her joking father. She could never really get mad at her parents._

_In response to her little outburst both her parents started laughing. "I'm hurt kiddo, you used to call me 'papa' not 'dad' *sigh~*" her father said as he put on a fake hurt face while his hand was clutching where his heart supposedly was. This lead his wife to roll her eyes as his daughter only giggled. Her father always kew how to lighten the mood._

_"Well, since your moving away and all. I'm giving you this..." he said as he removed the necklace around his neck, only to put it on his daughter's neck. "Now listen, never take this off, no matter what." his tone was not as cheerful as before but serious. Strange. It was just a cherry blossom shaped neck piece. Although her father himself never takes it off, that is until today..._

_"But why give it to me? I mean you don't even buy mom any jewelry." Sakura said as the mood lightens back up._

XYXYXYXYXYXYXY

That all happened a year ago, as promised Sakura never took of the necklace. Though she still wonders why her father gave it to her in the first place. But she lost the chance of properly asking why.

The wind blows as a girl no older than 17 stood at the graves of her parents. Question after question flooded her mind. But the question that makes her most curious was _'Why'._

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:I do not own Naruto<strong>

**-Y**


	2. Chapter 1:Black Cat

Chapter 1: Black Cat

"Sakura...Sakura...SAKURA!"

Quickly bolting up Sakura found her two best friends casting her concerned looks. The one on the left with her signature hair style, two pigtails tied in buns was Tenten. And on the right was Temari with her signature hair style, four pigtails. Both were in their school uniform, and both who were now casting her annoyed looks.

"You were at the cemetery till late last night again weren't you." Tenten stated still casting her an annoyed look.

"You know very well what dangers there are at night, Sakura." Temari scolded.

"I'm sorry if I worried guys... but you know how I lose track of time. Besides, it happened again!" Sakura said as she gave both her friends a sleepy yet excited grin.

"Oh boy, here we go." Temari said as she gave Tenten a look.

"I'm serious guys! It was tulips this time!"

"Wow, it was daisies the the last time was it not?" her blonde four pigtailed friend said giving her a bored look.

"Are you sure it wasn't you who slept-walked to a twenty-four hour open flower shop, bought the flowers and placed them there yourself?" Tenten asked with a serious expression plastered on her face while Temari snickered beside her.

Sakura gave a disappointed sigh. "And I though you two would believe me." she pouted. The few days after her parents death, some mysterious person had been placing different bouquets of flowers at her parents graves. Sakura was sure she didn't have any relatives (not that she knew of), so that theory was out, unless she had a long lost relative which was twenty-five percent possible but eighty-five percent said there weren't so that theory was also out. There is also the possibility that someone had placed the flowers there by mistake but he, she or they couldn't possibly place the flowers there by mistake every single day right? That theory is also out. Then again, there was also the possibility her parents friends could have done it, but no one is that free every day. So who did it?

A mystery indeed. A mystery that Sakura has yet to solve and it has been a year. She sighed just as the bell rang, declaring the star of homeroom. Just as the teacher, Kakashi-sensei, came in the students had already started questioning as to why he had arrived earlier than expected. You see Hatake Kakashi was famous for his extreme lateness to class, so his arrival was indeed a shocker.

"All right class settle down." Kakashi ordered in his usual bored tone. "We have a new student so please make her feel welcome. All right, you can come in now." Kakashi said as the door slid open.

Walking in, the boys in the class started whistling and howling like idiots. when Kakashi asked them to quite they obeyed immediately since no one knew what means of punishment he might give. Kakashi was also known for bringing that little orange book around wherever he went. Let's just say that whatever the book contains is not child appropriate.

"Hi there, my name is Yamanaka Ino, hope we'll be able to get along well~"the new student announced.

Yamanaka Ino... Sakura was sure she heard that name before. But her memory was fuzzy so she just brushed it off, thinking it was just a coincidence.

"You'll be sitting next to Shikamaru. Nara please raise your hand." their teacher said but no one rose their hand. He must be sleeping again. Shikamaru was known for being lazy. But he was also known to be a genius, therefore he was known as the lazy genius.

Kakashi sighed as he asked Sakura to raise her hand instead since Ino's assigned seat was behind hers. Ino gracefully walked over to her seat as Kakashi let the class do whatever they want. But just before the blonde teen sat down she smacked Shikamaru upside of the head causing him to bolt up and look around in a panicked manner. This action caused his other seatmate Chouji to snicker at him.

"What the hell? Ino?" Shikamaru questioned with a brow raised while he rubbed the sore spot on his head.

"In the living flesh you jackass." said Ino as she stuck her tongue out.

Sakura didn't really pay attention to the rest as she begun reading a novel she had recently borrowed from a local library... 'Forest Stray'... weird name but mysterious as well.

"Hey forehead!" Sakura froze. The whole class's attention was then focus on them, including Kakashi's for a change. No one calls Sakura 'forehead' unless they want a fist to the face. Sakura had taken up martial arts when she was younger (courtesy of her father) so she could defend herself when she got in trouble. That is why she wasn't afraid of staying out so late at her parents graves she knows not to underestimate the enemy either. And it's not like she's got a problem with her forehead (other than it being overly large) but that nickname just gives her bad memories, memories of when she was just Sakura... frail and weak Sakura.

Turning around in her seat to give the newbie a piece of her mind, she was suddenly met with a bone-crushing hug which caused the whole class to go 'EH!?'. After Ino released her from the hug, Sakura got a better View of her. Blonde hair, baby blue eyes... Realisation came to her like punch in the gut. It was Ino, Yamanaka Ino her childhood best friend. The only one who was allowed to use that nickname on her. The Yamanaka Ino that stood up for her when she was bullied as a child.

"P-pig! I didn't recognize you at all!"

* * *

><p>Lunch came by in a blink of an eye. Sakura, Ino and Temari were waiting for Tenten (since she was in a different year than them) as Ino and Temari got to know each other. When Tenten had arrived, Sakura introduced her to Ino and they immediately got along. Now Sakura was on her way home from school feeling on top of the world. Just as she was about to go in she took one glance behind her house. And as always the forest was there with a wired fence surrounding it, on the wired fence were a few 'Keep Out' signs, the paint was already fading off as we speak. Sakura had always wondered what laid in that forest just behind her house ever since she moved in.<p>

It was strange, she knows she shouldn't so much as take a step into that forest but she still wonders. Stepping into her small yet cozy home she shrugged of her jacket and hung it by the rack next to the front door. It was pretty cold for it to be in mid-spring. Yet another strange fact, Sakura thought.

She wouldn't be living in this house if not for her parents. They had helped her to pursue her dreams and lent her the money for the house. But after they died, all their money was sent to her to inherit. She was wise enough to save the money for rents sake and emergencies. As for food and every applications, this is were her part-time job comes in. Turns out the local library she always goes to was the key to her problems. Since she always goes there, the manager was kind enough to offer her a part-time job there, besides the staff there were only so little, and the pay was not so bad either.

After bathing and eating, Sakura came face to face with her homework, which was quickly done. It was an everyday routine for her to visit her parents graves, except on exam weeks of course, and the cemetery wasn't really that far either, but she still has to take the train. As she grabbed her jacket and put on her shoes, she noticed a black cat sitting in front of her porch staring at her. It gave a small purr before running towards the forest. Weird.

* * *

><p>Upon reaching the cemetery Sakura found what she had expected. Flowers. Although they were different from yesterday's visit. The strange thing was that it was not wrapped up like a bouquet. And another strange thing was that it was a branch of cherry blossom. Well, it was spring and cherry trees were everywhere, not to mention the streets were littered with cherry blossom petals, but still. Sakura didn't know why but she feels uneasy and the need to get home increased rapidly.<p>

The trip to the cemetery was a bit weird and Sakura Came back earlier than most of her trips, cause she normally reaches home by 1.05 a.m. everyday without fail and today she was already home by 11.50 p.m. Weird. Walking up her front porch, Sakura noticed the black cat from earlier harmlessly sitting by the forest staring at her with those onxy pools while it waved its tail side to side in a slow motion. Strange things have been happening today,but Sakura just shrugged it off.

As the wind blows the clouds away, a full moon greets them at its place. And what Sakura has failed to noticed was that the black cat's eyes had gone from onxy black to blood red.

* * *

><p>The next morning came fast. Sakura had gone through her normal morning routine just fine. As she ate her breakfast and watched the television, yesterdays events played through her head like a broken tape. Before she knew it, she had already arrived at school. Sighing to herself, Sakura continued reading the novel she had borrowed from the local library she worked part-time at.<p>

School had gone on smoothly, she and Ino got to catch up on each other's lives over the past few years. Funny thing was that Ino and Shikamaru had dated before, the news had shocked Sakura, but it didn't shock her as much as how it shocked Temari. It was obvious that her friend had a thing for the lazy genius. Finding out this little information also gave Tenten the laugh of her life. Literally, she had laughed so hard that she even forgot how to breath. Sakura, Ino and a grumpy Temari had to take her to the nurse's office due to her fainting from inhaling to much oxygen. Like I said school went smoothly.

Sakura had to leave school early for her part-time job. Fortunately she had already completed her homework during break-time at work. When her shiff ended, Sakura had gone straight to the cemetery, but not before grabbing herself a little snack on the way. When Sakura had reached the cemetery she was not expecting the branch of cherry blossoms to still be there.

When Sakura had reached home she found the same black cat still sitting in front of the forest, it was as if it were beckoning her to follow it. Confused and scared she quickly went into her house and locked everything up.

* * *

><p>The following day came too soon, her morning routine, school and her part-time job flashed by fast. After that it was off to the cemetery. Reaching the cemetery, Sakura did not expect two things, one: the branch of cherry blossoms to still be there and two: a mysterious man with duck-butt hair standing by her parents graves and the exact same black cat next to him.<p>

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.<strong>

**-Y**


	3. Chapter 2:Duck-butt hair

Chapter 3: Duck-butt hair

Sakura didn't know why her conscience told her to run but her senses told her to stay... Her parents did always tell her not to talk to strangers, so she chose the former.

Slowly, Sakura took a step back. He didn't seem to notice her, so she took another step back, and another. Quickly turning on her heels to sprint, she didn't take notice of the twig underneath her shoe. The breaking sound of the twig echo throughout the cemetery. And too bad for Sakura that the breaking sound of the twig had caught both the black cat and the mysterious man's attention. Her head shot towards their direction, only to find no one there. Strange.

* * *

><p>Reaching the train station, she found a bench for her to occupy while she waited for the train. What she did't notice was that the train station was completely empty, normally there would be a few people waiting for the last minute train along with Sakura, even the guy who sold the tickets was no were to be found. the last minute train ran till midnight and lucky for Sakura she always manages to catch it, after that it was a few minutes walk back to her house. Problem was that she always gets distracted and always reaches home at exactly 1.05 a.m. But strangely she has been reaching home earlier than usual. Maybe it was her sixth sense trying to tell her something. She does not know.<p>

When the train finally came it was already 11.30 p.m. Weird. She was early again. Pulling her jacket closer she hopped on the train to find that no one was on it. Shrugging it off, Sakura took a seat and waited for her stop. Suddenly feeling a shiver go down her spine, she slowly looked around. Still nobody. Sighing to no one in particular she put on her earphones and started listening to music.

* * *

><p>Finally reaching her stop, she quickly got off. Walking down the silent street of Konoha with her bag at tow and uniform skirt slowly swaying along as she hums the music playing on her Ipod. It was a peaceful night at Konoha, quiet and serene... quiet... it was to quiet. taking off her earphones she slowly glanced around...<p>

"Get down!" an unknown voice shouted urgently.

"Wha-!?" Sakura said as her head shot to the direction of the voice. A man had came out of nowhere and shield her from something. She heard the '_clang_' of metal against metal, when it fell to the ground only then was Sakura able to identify the metal object. It was some sort of knife, it looked like a diamond on the top half, Sakura guessed it was a _Kunai_. She only knew of it thanks to Tenten and her love for weaponry (due to a certain anime she loved watching).

"Oi, are you alright?" the man questioned as his gaze landed on her.

Now that she got a better look of him she nearly fainted from shock. It was the same duck-butt hair man she saw standing at her parents graves. Not only was that shocking but he was handsome as well, even with the gravity defying duck-butt esque hair. And this was coming from her, the girl who never thought of any boy nor man as handsome.

"Hey, Pinky are you deaf?" the duck-butt hair man asked. Hey, if he was gonna call her 'Pinky' why can't she call him 'duck-butt hair'?

"Er... yeah, I'm fine." Sakura replied as she adjusted the strap of the bag on her shoulder.

"Hn, good. Now listen, run as fast as you can to the forest. The one behind your house, now!" duck-butt hair ordered.

"Woah! Why should I go so far as to listen to you?" the pinkette argued.

"Tch! Annoying. Find don't listen. Trust me..." duck-butt hair man said as another _kunai_ came flying.

"Kya!" Sakura squeaked as the raven head blocked the attack once again.

"W-why should I trust you?" Sakura retorted.

"... would someone just randomly risk his life for someone else?" that caught her attention. True if she stayed here she would be holding him back. But still... why the forest? She had no time to question as this time a barrage of _kunais_ came towards them along with some _shurikens._

"F-fine I'll go, but I trust you'll come after me? I still have questions for you!" Sakura said as she dashed off.

Smirking to himself, the duck-butt hair man only thought who would leave such a clumsy girl alone. He then deflected each and every _kunai_ and_ shuriken_ with ease before running after her.

* * *

><p>Panting harder with each step she took, Sakura Finally spotted her house a block away. Not noticing the <em>kunai<em> headed for their way it flew passed duck-butt hair man and was headed for Sakura. Cursing himself for not paying attention, he increased his speed.

"Pinky watch out!" he warned.

Quickly turning around she caught the _kunai_ between her palms. Adrenaline rushed through her as a grin appeared on her face. She had just done something amazing and she was proud of it. Although it could either be surviving a life and death situation that made her go nuts of its the dizziness. But still, she caught a dangerous weapon that was hurling towards her and she feels like bragging.

"Oh my god~ I caught it! Hey look I caught it!" Sakura excitedly announced while she giggled like a high school girl, which she was...

"Oh yay, good for you." duck-butt hair man said in a monotone voice as he grab her from the wrist and continued running.

Finally reaching her house, the raven head man let go of her wrist to face his foe.

"Now... you'd better step out of your hiding place before I find you myself..."he said in a venomous tone.

Silence enveloped them as the only thing that could be heard was the loud breathing of Sakura. Suddenly the enemy appeared from the bushes and charged towards him. Mentally shaking his head at the enemy's poorly executed plan, he summoned a lightning blade and sliced through the enemy, only to find that his foe had turned into a log.

Cursing himself for the second time that day, he turned towards Sakura's direction to find the enemy charging towards her instead. Everything became in slow motion as he watched Sakura raised her hands in a defensive manner and the enemy still heading towards her. As the enemy slashed at her a barrier had suddenly appeared around the pinkette, shielding her from the assault. The force of the barrier made the foe flew back a few feet, and in no time the raven haired man was behind him. Smirking, he coldly said "This will be quick and painless.." and just like that the man was killed as blood splattered all over the place, just barely missing Sakura.

When the duck-butt man's gaze finally landed on her, he ceased the lightning blade and kneeled to check on her as she had fallen due to the force of the barrier.

"Hn! No wonder he died, he gave you his necklace..." he said as his heartless cold eyes met her shinning emerald green ones.

Sakura could not really comprehend anything as she stared into black holes of nothingness. Until it finally hit her that she nearly died -twice- if it weren't for his arrogance. The nerve of this guy! And after all that he says... no wonder he died, he gave you his necklace? (she has a great memory) What does that mean? Who is 'he'? Who died? What necklace? Questions after questions came and went as her confusion only increased making her anger decrease.

"Who and wha-what are you talking about?" she asked. He said necklace, Sakura never wore any jewellery. With that in mind, she reached up to touch the area around her neck. And there it was. Strange, so very strange.

"Tch... that Yamanaka... he mumbled.

"Eh!?" she questioned.

"Nevermind. Follow me." duck-butt hair man ordered.

She felt her reason to be angry returned. Not only has she nearly died twice because of him, he expects her to just do whatever he wishes!? Well, not in this life time! She glared at him, hard.

"And why should I listen to you? Nor why should I trust you? I nearly died twice and I'm not so keen on following a stranger... And I still have some questions I need to ask..." Sakura said through gritted teeth.

"Oh?" the oxyn eyed man said as a smirk played its way up to his face.

He was teasing her. Sakura was not only known for her brains and short temper, but was also known for giving long lectures. So unless Mr. Arrogance here wants to play the school delinquent then she would gladly take up the role as the disciple teacher. But before she could say anything the bastard beat her to it.

"Hn. Sasuke..." he said.

"Excuse me!?" she asked looking more confused.

Sighing he said "My name is Uchiha Sasuke."

"Oh... so? Knowing your name does not make you trustworthy..." she said as her eyes narrowed.

"But, we're not strangers anymore" Sasuke said as his smirk grew wider.

Sakura frowned "Wh-!? W-well you don't know my name s-so, hah!" the emerald eyed girl said, struggling with her words as she points an accusing finger at him.

"... Haruno Sakura, you know you're going to lose this argument so shut up and follow me... or I'll make you.." he said as the smirk plastered on his face melted into a frown.

"... I would like to see you try..." she said in a challenging tone as her eyes narrowed once again. She also added in a 'duck-butt hair' which caused him to make his move.

He plucked her off the ground with ease and swung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"H-hey! I'm wearing a skirt!" Sakura said as she felt her cheeks grew warmer.

"Should have though of that before provoking me. And really? Cherry patterned? So childish." she could practically hear him smirking as her cheeks grew hotter from both anger and embarrassment.

"Oh, and don't try struggling. You'll only make yourself uncomfortable and give me a better view of your cherry patterned underwear." Sasuke added as his smirk once again grew wider.

"...PERVERT!" Sakura screamed. And just like that they were off to who knows where she has no idea. The forest maybe. He did ask her to run there a few minutes ago.

XYXYXYXYXYXYXYXY

*Gasp* "He is back!" a little fellow had said.

"Yes, indeed. And he has brought back her." another one said.

"We must report to the Sage at once!" and with that the little fellow was gone in a cloud of smoke.

XYXYXYXYXYXYXYXY

Sakura had seen weird things this past few days, but this, this cuts the cake. When they had first entered the forest she had already noticed it' but she chose to stay quite. And now she feels like pulling it. What is it she's talking about? Well, it's the tail that had suddenly appeared on Sasuke, the cat ears too. Thinking about it for awhile she then noticed the colour of the tail and cat ears, black.

Was Sasuke the same mysterious black cat? If he was then that explains that, but it does not explain how he could turn into one. Was it magic? Like how he manage to summon that lightning blade? She does not know. But she is curious to find out. And just like that she yanked on his tail, hard. It was on purpose of course, she was still mad at him. This action only caused him to stop in his tracks. But only to examine his tail.

"Now, why do you think such an action would cause me pain?" Sasuke asked as he glanced at her over his shoulder.

Fuming on the inside she only told him she wanted to get his attention, not to try and cause him pain, which was a lie, but not completely one.

"Well then, why did you want to get my attention?" the oxyn eyed man asked.

"...I still have some questions I need to ask.." she gave in and answered with a pout.

"Alright, what is it?" this girl is annoying he though.

"Who was that person who attacked me?"

"Classified information."

"Huff... then how'd you summon that lightning blade and how'd the cat ears and tail appear?"

"Magic."

"I knew it! ...why a cat?"

"None of your business..."

"So you like playing with catnip or yarn or a-"

"We're here." the raven head said as he dropped her.

"Ow... forgot to ask... where are you taking me?" the pinkette questioned as she rubbed her sore bottom.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto<strong>

**A/N: I would like to dedicate this chapter to Poppy Grave Dreams for being the first to review and of course those that had liked and followed this story. Thanks ya'll!  
><strong>

**-Y**


	4. Chapter 3:Nostalgia

Chapter 3: Nostalgia

"I see you have brought her..." an unfamiliar voice spoke.

Still sitting on the ground and trying to mend her slightly sore bottom, Sakura looked up to find something that might come and haunt her for the rest of her life. A blonde woman, who looked like she was in her mid-thirties, sitting on what looked like a throne drinking Sake as she stared down at Sakura intensely. Sakura didn't know how to describe the woman's body figure. All she knew was that she had a long way to go (or never) to gain such a... a... marvelous? Seize on the -ahem- upper part of the body...

"Hn..." was all Sasuke could say before excusing himself, but things aren't going so well for him today as the pinkette grab his wrist, a gesture he is not to fond of. Glaring at her with those cold depths of black emptiness, he noticed her eyes were filled with a mixture of pure horror and genuine fear. Was the woman in front of her _that_ intimidating? He then noticed her left arm, the one that's not occupied with holding his wrist, covering her...ya... He feels the need to laugh, he finds this ridiculously hilarious. But of course he keeps his composure, he still has a reputation after all.

Still though, why do women care about their appearances so much? I mean he himself was born with natural good looks. It was a blessing yet a curse at the same time, but it is not like he asked for it. His brother had the same problem, he of course handled it better. Back to the problem at hand, Sasuke had always thought it was what's on the inside. Although, Sakura doesn't look the type to fuss over such things, but her blonde friend Yamanaka does. Well, you can't judge a book by its cover.

Kneeling to her level, Sasuke faked a concern voice in which Sakura just gave him a disbeliving look. Giving up on the fake act, he asked her what was wrong with only so little concern laced in his voice this time.

"For some reason I... I feel like I've already met this women... yet I don't even know her... What's going on?" Sakura said, the fear in her eyes returning as she started to shake.

Sasuke was never really good at comforting people, nor does he have the heart to. So what he could only do was stare at her shaking form.

"...Are you two done? I still have a few paper work I feel like ditching but can't thanks to Shizune here." the women spoke as her assistant, Shizune, cringe at her tone.

"Tsunade-sama I don't think you should be so rude to her. I mean she only just got here, and I think she is frightened by all this..." Shizune said as her soft gaze landed on the shaking pinkette.

"Frightened? By all this and not that arrogant Uchiha brat? She should be grateful she wasn't brought to Jiraya or that creep Orochimaru!" the hazel eyed blonde, Tsunade, exclaimed looking irritated and offended.

"...uh ... um... excuse me. Wha-what is it that you want with me?" Sakura asked as her trembling came to a sudden halt.

Sasuke watch as Sakura slowly removed her hand from his wrist as she slowly stood up. The fear in her eyes seemed to have decreased, although still visible. His got to admit though, the girl's got guts (even though said pinkette was still scared). That's probably the only good point he has seen from her so far. Wow, he had accually complimented someone, he is getting soft, **not good.**

Sakura was confused. She doesn't know what she is doing here and why she wasn't at home snuggled up in her soft warm bed sleeping. But for now, she would have to hear what this women, Tsunade? Have to say. After all, Sasuke went through the trouble of getting her here (against her will), so she might as well get this over with.

"Oh? What_ do_ I want with you?" Tsunade said, smirking. "Well first things first, Sakura, do you know- let me rephrase that. Do you remember who gave you that necklace?" The blonde women questioned, her tone more serious.

"Uh... no..." Sakura said, confirming Tsunade's thoughts. "But I do recall Sasuke saying something like 'no wonder he died, he gave you his necklace'. So, who is 'he' huh?" she asked tilting her head to one side.

Sasuke glared at Sakura as Tsunade glared at him.

"I don't know Sakura. Maybe he was talking to himself... He does that sometimes..." Tsunade said as her glaring face morphed into a smirking one.

Sasuke was baffled. He does not as what so ever talk to himself. He does not even talk much in the first place anyway, so way the the lies? Sly hag... Sasuke's target to glare at immediately changed from Sakura to Tsunade. The nerve of that woman!

"He does!?" Sakura asked surprise, and then snickered at that disbeliving though. The pinkette was slowly starting to warm up to the hazel eyed blonde. It was a strange fact, but after exchanging a few words with her she had already taken a liking to her. Although she feels a sense of nostalgia... Brushing it off, Sakura gave a small smile as she watched Tsunade laugh hysterically at the sour expression Sasuke was giving her.

*Ahem*"...sorry bout' that! Back to more important matters at hand." Tsunade announced after finally calming down.

"So... who was it that gave me this necklace?"

"...Sakura I don't think it's good for you to find out now."

"She's right Sakura-san, it's best if you don't know..."Shizune said as she joined the conversation.

Sighing to herself, the emerald eyed teen decided to ask another question. "Then what's my purpose here?"

"Agh... another good question..." the blonde woman exclaimed and then sighed as she rubbed her temples and ordered Shizune to get another bottle of Sake, in which the said raven head assistant obeyed hesitantly. The woman sure knew how to hold her liquor.

"Right, I'll make it simple. You're here because we're trying to protect you..."Tsunade summarized before taking a sip from the cup of Sake and drowning down the rest after.

"From who?"Sakura questioned.

"...we do not know..."she said.

Sakura was speechless. She hardly got any answers at all. Tsunade sighed as she ordered Shizune to take Sakura somewhere for her to rest.

"Why did you bluff her?"Sasuke demanded after Shizune disappeared with Sakura.

"As I said, it's best if she doesn't know..." the only woman Sage replied. "...oh and she'll be staying with you."she quickly mumbled the last part as she drowned down more Sake.

He definitely heard that. And that definitely caught his attention. That sentence had shocked him to no tomorrow. Why was he not informed before hand? That pink haired annoyance was to stay with him? Till when? And why him? There was a strange nagging feeling at the back of his mind telling him that it was a bad idea. Then again, since when has Tsunade's ideas been good.

"Why my place?" he asked straight forwardly.

"Well... your the only one she will be comfortable with..."the blonde Sage said as she smirked at his sour expression once again. "But do make sure this mission goes as planed, if anything seems wrong come to me at once... or I'll hold you responsible if anything should happen to that girl..." at this, the hazel eyed woman's gaze darkened.

"Tch, tell me again why I have to take orders from you when I work under Orochimaru?"asked Sasuke with a noticeable irritated tone.

"Heh! You already know what of. Besides, he owes me! Now of you goooo!"she said as she made a shooing gesture with her hand and took another swing of Sake... No doubt about it... she is finally drunk...

Sighing, he turned on his heels and walked towards the direction Sakura and "what's her face' had disappeared to. Really though, that woman pisses him of to no ends... but not as much as his blonde, tanned skinned, blue eyed friend though. Sometimes Sasuke wonders why him...

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><p>Sakura was getting along with Shizune better than she though. While the raven head was to bring her to her 'place to rest', she had also given her a small tour of some places around the forest. There wasn't much people due to it being extremely late. It was relaxing really, after what she has been through today, the walk with Shizune had ease her down immensely. There was a problem though. The nostalgic feeling she had when she met Tsunade... she had the exact same feeling with Shizune. Strange. She did not think it was important before, so it could not be important now. She brushed it off too.<p>

She and Shizune had made small talk along the way, turns out Shizune had taken an interest to medical studies like Sakura herself. She was an assistant and an apprentice of Tsunade's. That small piece of information didn't really surprise the pinkette. Again she does not know why but for some reason she knew... she just knew they had some teacher student connection but she does not know how she knew... confusing? She thinks so too.

After finally arriving at their destination, Shizune told her to wait for Sasuke and disappeared before she could even question her 'why'. Sighing, Sakura looked up to find a decent looking tree-like house. The first thing that came to mind was 'cute'. It looked quite big but still, it looked comfy and cozy. When she was little, at the age of seven she thinks, their elementary arts teacher had told them to draw fantasy themed houses or preferably 'dream house'. Sakura had drawn something like this tree-like house, she and a girl (she does not remember) had been praised for their creativity. The girl had drawn a house made of a shoe.

Truthfully, Sakura had though it was a rip-off of that old nursery rhyme, 'There was an old woman who lived in a shoe...blah blah blah' something like that. But that was a long time ago, so she pays no mind to it. Walking up to the tree house? She sat on one of the steps of the stairs that leads to the door and waited for Sasuke's arrival patiently. Although her eyelids were starting to feel heavy.

XYXYXYXYXYXYXY

Sasuke had decided to take a small detour before going home. As he walked down the empty streets of the village, memories of when he was younger flooded his mind. Back then it was peaceful. Back then life was enjoyable. Back then he could smile. Now, it was just complicated and confusing. And now, he could only smirk. Strange? Yes, yes it is. But you can't really dwell on the past forever. And he wouldn't want to think about it much. Would he get sentimental and emotional? Maybe... probably. No. He was an Uchiha so he knew how to control his emotions well, all Uchiha's do.

The place he wanted to go to was nothing much, it was only a dock. Although it does hold sentimental values. Walking up to it he, stood there and stared into the pond, he had done this countless of times when he was younger. It clams his mind and soul... it relaxes him. And after the tiring day his had, this was exactly what he needed.

Finally deciding to call it a day, the onxy eyed teen just stalked towards his house silently.

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><p>Upon reaching his house, he had not expected pinky to be sleeping by his door step. She must have waited for him till she fell asleep... Pathetic. She was annoyingly pathetic... mostly annoying... Groaning, he went up and opened the door to his house before bending down to pick her up gently.<p>

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><p>The sun had started raising as dawn came to. The head of the pinkette slowly arose as the sunrays hit her. Yawning, she started to take in her surroundings... Wait! This was not her room. Just as she started to panic, last night's events played through her head. Sighing in relief, she gave a small smile. Sasuke must have carried her here.<p>

The bed sheets were pure white, Sakura noticed. The walls were a bit difficult to describe but all she knew was that they were made of wood. Since they were in a tree-like house, obviously... Other then that, the whole room was just... plain. Utterly plain. Frowning to herself, she started wondering who's house this belonged to. The person must be very simple... or uncaring of home decor.

After she was done taking in the room, she slowly climbed out of bed. Sakura then finally noticed she had not taken a bath. Slowly she scanned the room again, hoping to find a door that either leads outside or to a bathroom. Problem was that she only found one door. Which means it will only lead her outside and not to a bathroom.

She gave a disapproving sigh (she noticed she has been sighing a lot) and marched up to the door. When she twisted the doorknob open she had not expected to find a shirtless Sasuke standing there with his fist halfway raised, as if he were to knock.

Sakura had always been the most innocent out of all her friends. She hadn't even dated before, she had also been the most easiest to scare too. So this 'surprise' had definitely shock her. In fact it had shock her so much that she blushed so hard her face had even resembled a certain Uchiha's favourite food, tomatoes. And after that she fainted...

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:I do not own Naruto<strong>

**A/N:This was a pain to write...**

**-Y**


	5. Chapter 4:Bright

Chapter 4: Bright

The first thing that came to Sasuke's mind after the pinkette fainted was 'Was she that hungry?', assuming weather or not she ate dinner last night. Although, he thinks he saw her face turned tomato red before she passed out. Was she sick? And speaking of tomatoes... Sasuke turned on his heels as he retreated to the kitchen, completely forgetting about the poor emerald eyed pinkette laying on the floor. He had more important matters to attend to... and that was to eat those ripe, shiny, juicy tomatoes of his.

Stirring slightly in her passed out state, the emerald eyed pinkette jolted out of it. Dazed and confused as to why she was on the floor, a sudden realization came to her as the past events played through her head. Feeling her cheeks grow warmer out of embarrassment, she quickly stood up wondering briefly where that no good piece of shi-ahem-I mean wondering briefly where Sasuke went.

Walking out of the room, Sakura was immediately hit by bewilderment. I mean she was amazed at how the tree-like house looked on the outside, but she had not expected the inside of the...tree house?(she thinks she'll just call it that) to look so fascinating. There were obviously more then one floor, about three to four floors. But starting from the second floor all of them resembled indoor balconies, in which were encircling the bottom floor. That was what Sakura found unique.

Realization then hit her once again, Sasuke must own this place! The emerald eyed teen then wondered how he manages to keep this whole place clean, it was huge! Then again, won't he feel lonely here all by himself? Does he have no family? She then realized how little she knows about the raven head... although, she has only known him for a few hours. Still, she can't help but wonder. Would he get mad if she questioned him about it?

"Oh, you're up..." Sasuke said, startling her out of her thoughts.

She immediately turned to the direction of his voice, only to feverishly blush and look towards the ground. He was still damn shirtless! Ino would most definitely ask her to jump him if she were here, or better yet jump him herself. Luckily she wasn't here... Wait... Ino... SCHOOL! She completely forgot!

Snapping her gaze off the floor, Sakura locked eyes with Sasuke. As she did so, she desperately tried not to look at his shirtless form, and asked "What time is it!?"

He stayed silent for awhile as he stared at her weirdly before answering 8.30 a.m. which caused her to panic, she was late. Before she ran off, the onxy eyed teen questioned "Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm gonna' get ready for school, duh!" she replied. She had no time for this...

"And who says you're going." Sasuke stated calmly while he crossed his arms.

"W-what!? I said so!" the still flushed pinkette sputtered out. She was getting highly annoyed at him... and distracted... "An-and could you put on a shirt already! Geez..."

The onxy eyed raven head rose a brow. "Oh?" he smirked as her cheeks reddened. This is getting interesting. Most girls would kill to see him like this. "Now why would I do that?" Oh how how loves messing with this girl.

"Heh? Do-don't change the subject! You bastard! W-why ca-can't I go to school!?"she sputtered out again, trying to calm her nerves.

Sasuke sighed, the smirk completely disappeared. "Okay look, have you completely forgotten what happened to you yesterday? You can't go to school unprotected so stop being annoying..." he said, ignoring the 'bastard' part in her sentence.

"Annoying?" Sakura asked with a shock expression. But before she could start giving him a piece of her mind, loud knocking from the front door stopped her. The raven head sighed and rubbed his temples, before he_ finally_ put on a shirt and stalked towards the front door with a curious Sakura peering behind.

The Uchiha knew who it was, do not ask how but he just _knew._Forsome strange unfair reason he had a sixth sense of knowing who that one particular person at the door was. He just doesn't know why he even bothers with opening the front door knowing who and what was waiting for him. Upon opening the front door, Sasuke was greeted with a not so welcomed guest. With his bright blonde hair, shiny piercing blue eyes and that big grin of his along with matching orange fox ears and tail in tow, Uzumaki Naruto was the every being of bright and cheerful...and the vain of Sasuke's existence. Unfortunately the blonde idiot was his best friend, or he would have killed him by now. Why he has to put up with him? He too has no idea.

Most people would assume that the two were fighting when they would get into their daily arguments...well most people who don't know the two. Should anybody around their little village encounter the two teens in the middle of their fight would only walk by as if it were an every day thing to see two nut heads trying to kill each other. But practically the whole village knew who Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke was, rivals, brothers, best friends it depends on ones opinion. The onxy eyed teen still remembers how they meet, by that one particular lone dock.

"Hn. What do you want dobe?"an annoyed Sasuke asked with an irritated tone laced in his voice.

"What!? No good morning? No 'how ya doin' pal'? No what's up bro? You really are a teme, dattebayo!"Naruto said as he glared at said 'teme' with a what looked like a hurt expression. Don't ask how he pulled it of, he just did.

Sasuke wanted to bang his head repeatedly against the door frame. He really did. But that would only give the sapphire eyed blonde the satisfaction of laughing his ass off at him, so he settled with giving the idiot the infamous Uchiha death glare. "Hn." was all Naruto received as a reply.

"...Well, someone woke up emo today...again."muttered Naruto as he narrowed his eyes in a challenging manner with a pout. Again, don't ask how he did it, he just does.

"If you came here for nothing then-"

"W-wait! I'm sorry just hear me out !"Naruto quickly sputtered out, just as the raven head was about to slam the door in his face.

"Hn. Speak." Sasuke demanded.

"...aren't ya gonna' invite me in first?"

"Good-bye Naruto-"Sasuke said as he once again tried to slam the door on his blonde friend but got cut off again.

"Alright!Alright! Sheesh teme... Okay, so here's the thing... there's this girl-"

"Female Hyuuga? You're kidding me right? You're asking_me_ for advice on how to ask a girl out? That's what you came here for?" Sasuke said as it was his turn to cut him off.

"You're the chick-magnet!"the sapphire eyed teen yelled, frustrated obviously.

"Dobe, I have no experience with girls..."Sasuke exclaimed as he rubbed his temples.

"Then who in the name of the Kyuubi is that!?" the blonde questioned, finger pointing towards the direction of Sakura who was curiously peering at them both.

"...Naruto that's-"too late Sasuke.

"HOLY SAGE OF SIX PATHS! YO-YOU... YOU BANGED SOMEONE AN-"poor Naruto could not finish his sentence as someone's shoe (not Sasuke's, unfortunately) came hurling towards his face. It knocked him of balance making him fall backwards and knock his head on the ground, hard. Sasuke cringed as he heard a 'thud' sound emitting from the blonde as he connected with the ground.

Walking forward towards the door, Sakura joined Sasuke to stare at the unconscious form of the once happy-go-lucky blonde known as Uzumaki Naruto. Nodding in satisfaction at her work, she picked up her deadly shoe and turned towards the onxy eyed teen with an innocent smile plastered on her face. Sasuke silently stared at her petite form and briefly wondered how her small frame carried such brutal strength. His gaze then travelled to the shoe she was holding and then it landed on Naruto's unconscious body... Sasuke then made a mental note not to underestimate her or shoes anymore.

Although the problem of shutting up the loud blonde was solved, Sakura had another problem; if she were to take a bath then the problem of clean clothes came to mind. Then again Mr. Pussy-cat didn't give her a chance to pack, nor did he give her a choice in refusing the 'kind' offer of coming to the forest. Not to mention Tsunade or Shizune didn't give her a choice in say of staying in le' hotel Sasuke at all!

"What's wrong?"Sasuke asked oh so concerned tone (pronounced as:**unconcerned**).

"Well, I don't have any clean clothes with me, so I can't really take a bath."the pinkette said as she wore back her shoe she used to hit the loud mouth blonde with.

"Aa..."the raven head said? As he bent down to his unconscious blonde friend by his porch. Sakura watched in confusion as Sasuke raised his hand and smacked Naruto across the head. The blonde teen slowly stirred in his unconscious state. His head slowly turned towards the direction of Sasuke. He then bolted up and grabbed Sasuke by the collar of his shirt and started yelling. The emerald eyed teen only stared at the shouting sapphire eyed blonde with narrowed eyes.

"TEME! Was that really necessary!?"Naruto shouted in his face.

"Okay, first of all it wasn't me knocked you unconscious, even though I wanted to, but the culprit was pinky over there. Second, could you take us to that Hyuuga girl you obviously have taken a liking to?"Sasuke calmly said without missing a beat as he pried Naruto's hands off him.

Naruto stared at him with wide sapphire eyes, the was probably the longest sentence his mostly mute friend has ever said. And Naruto has been with him for a _very _long time. "What da' ya want with my boo?"a very shocked Naruto asked. "...and wow... that's probably the most I've heard you say... I think..."he added as his grip on Sasuke loosened and fell limp to his side.

Sasuke grunted as a reply and mentally cringed at the weird 'boo' nickname the blonde came up for the shy Hyuuga heiress. Sasuke could picture as Naruto called her that and she would only faint from the shock and embarrassment. The onxy eyed teen then stood to his full height and glanced back to a very confused looking Sakura. He gestured for her to come over, which she did obediently and stood by his side, looking as the blonde's facial expression morphed from shocked to confusion.

"Dobe, this is the girl the old hag sent me to get." Sasuke said as he jerked his thumb towards the pinkette.

"Oh~Hi Sakura-chan! I'm Uzumaki Naruto, dattebayo!"he said as he flashed her a blinding grin and stuck his hand out for a handshake.

Sakura sent a wary glance at his out stretched hand. Since when did they get comfortable with each other to the point were he would add a 'chan' behind her name, and her last name no less. "Oh...hi to you to Naruto. Uh sorry about the shoe..."she finished with an uneasy smile and shook his hand. Later then wondering how he knew her name when Sasuke failed to mention it.

"So! Uh..want do you want with Hinata-chan huh, Sasuke?" the sapphire eyed blonde questioned with his brow raised, gaze landing on him.

Sakura stared at the hand she just used to shake Naruto's with. A strange sense of familiarity hit her. A somewhat strange sensation close to Deja' vu... was it the same nostalgic feeling she had felt with Tsunade and Shizune? It was more stronger though... Will this happen with everyone else she'll meet with later on? She hopes not. Sakura fiddled with the cherry blossom shaped pendant around her neck and sighed. Her gaze then landed on both Naruto and Sasuke, then Sasuke alone. She doesn't mind, but she does _not_ know why. Why does she not get the nostalgic feeling when she is with the raven head? So mysterious, so confusing. Just like the book she was currently so into...'Forest Stray'. The content of the book was hard enough to understand, although interesting. So very strange.

Although she feels uneasy around Naruto, she strangely feels comfortable around him too. Weird. Still though, Naruto's a good person. Sakura was sure of that, he had a strange bright aura around him that repels negative thoughts and feelings (excluded the uneasiness she feels). He could most probably make anyone trust him with only just a few words.

"Oi, pinky!"the oxyn eyed raven head called, snapping her out of her train of thought. "You coming?"

"Ye-yeah! Sorry..."she answered as she ran to catch up with them.

* * *

><p>The walk to who knows where was peaceful. Oh who is she to bluff, it was chaotic! A catastrophe! A-a 'fox-tastrophe'?! Sakura learned that maybe cats and foxes never got along at all...or maybe it was just Naruto and Sasuke. So far they had caused a fight scene in the middle of village-square, leading Naruto to throw the raven head into a big fountain near by and a very drenched grumpy Sasuke to claw at the laughing blonde, well...since cats hate water... but he was half human so...? The oxyn eyed teen had then tossed Naruto to an old lady's fruit stall and destroyed it. Both then sent a middle-aged man flying. And the strange thing was that the whole village acted as it was normal watching to teens fight to the death. So that should mean a <em>lot. <em>In the end Sakura had stopped the two with a pull to the ear. And worst of all, they still haven't told her where the _fuck_ they were going!

All thoughts came to a stop when both male companions came to a sudden halt, causing the emerald eyed teen to run fist-face into the (still) slightly drenched Sasuke's back. Rubbing her now sore nose (Sasuke has a hard back) she looked up to be greeted by Sasuke's smug smirk and dark oxyn-black eyes.

"Hn. We're here."he stated.

Sakura only nodded, dazed. Those black pools of nothingness really did a toll on her. She feels like staring into them forever. "...so where are we?"

"This is the Hyuuga estate!"Naruto exclaimed with enthusiasm as he gestured to the overly large looking estate.

The structure of the estate was similar to a traditional Japanese house (the ones with paper sliding doors). Still they were made up of trees, Sakura was truly highly impressed with what these people-creatures-could do with home-designing.

Just then an unknown voice spoke behind them. "E-eh? N-Na-Naruto-kun? Sasuke-san? Wh-what are you doing here?"it was soft-spoken...

Turning around, Sakura was then met with blank, lavender eyes. The girl 's posture was perfect. It was as if she were raised from royalty itself. She had dark hair swaying behind her and her head was tilted to the side cutely as her left rabbit ear twitched.

"Hi Hinata-chan~"the blonde fox blissfully said as he merrily skipped (you heard me, skipped, he fucking skipped!) towards the lavender eyed girl.

Both conversed for awhile before Naruto called Sasuke and her to come over. The pinkette noticed the shy girl's cheeks were tinted rosy pink as she glanced nervously at the blonde once in awhile. Sasuke only nodded his head towards the Hyuuga heiress as a greeting as she herself nodded in return. Introductions were then made between the lavender eyed girl and Sakura herself.

"Can you do it Hinata-chan?"Naruto asked as his eyes softened.

"Su-sure! I'll need her mea-measurements though."Hinata said with a kind smile directed at Naruto. The scene nearly made Sasuke gag and Sakura mentally 'aw-ed'.

"She can make clothing?"Sakura asked a disgusted looking Sasuke.

"Aa..."he replied looking towards her direction instead of the other two making faces at each other.

"...Magic?"she questioned as both Hinata and Naruto's attention then focused on her.

"Ye-yes actually"a beaming Hinata said with a kind (and blinding might I add) smile.

"Ar-are you sure? It seems so much as a hassle."the pinkette said, staring at the shy dark hair teen who seems to have gained an angelic aura around her.

"Sure! I-I love making clothing, s-so it won't bo-bother me at all. Ho-honest!"she stated, still holding that angelic smile.

"Alright then...thank you"Sakura hesitantly said as she returned the smile.

The strange nostalgic feeling. It came back. Sakura felt uncertainty settling in the pit of her stomach. She knows without a doubt that this must mean something important. But why? Why does everyone she meets give her a sense of nostalgia and Deja vu? ...everyone except Sasuke

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><p><strong>Desclaimer:I do not own Naruto<strong>

**A/N:Did this take long? Ah ha! I bet it was...Anyway happy holidays!**

**-Y**


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